LG G3 Release Date Breakdown

After months and months of rumors, leaks and speculation, the LG G3 is finally here to replace the LG G2. The device, which arrives with a number of impressive specifications, will arrive to take on the iPhone 5s and Samsung Galaxy S5 in a number of different markets around the world. With that in mind, here, we take a close look at the upcoming LG G3 release date and what consumers need to know.

Last year, LG was late to the party. While its rivals HTC and Samsung had launched their flagship smartphones in the first half of the year, the LG G2 didn’t arrive until much later, months after the Galaxy S4 and HTC One arrived on shelves. It also arrived shortly before the arrival of the Galaxy Note 3 and iPhone 5s.

Despite the launch, the LG G2 proved itself as one of the top smartphones on the market thanks to its fantastic hardware and its solid operating system. The LG G2 was one of the best smartphone options on the market and even with the arrival of its successor, it will remain a solid budget option for those that don’t find themselves to be enamored with high-end specifications.

The LG G3 release date is imminent for some.

Today, LG finally confirmed the LG G3. We say finally because it’s a device that saw just about every detail rumored in the weeks leading up to today’s announcement. The LG G3 is exactly what we thought it would be, an extremely powerful competitor to the iPhone and the current stable of high-end Android smartphones which includes the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8, and the Nexus 5.

Like the LG G2, we expect the LG G3 to be a competitor for the next year, tempting those in the hunt for a new device.

The LG G3 is official but it won’t be hitting some regions, including the U.S, until the summer. That said, LG delivered a number of LG G3 release date details today and we want to take a look at them all in an attempt to set the stage for consumers in the United States and around the world.

LG G3 Release Date (Global)

Gone are the days when Android manufacturers would announce a device and release it several months down the road. Now, we’re seeing a much quicker turnaround between announcement and release and the LG G3 release date is a prime example of this transition. LG announced the G3 today and tomorrow, it will release the device onto shelves.

The LG G3 will hit the U.S. this summer.

Starting tomorrow, May 28th, consumers in South Korea will be able to get their hands on the LG G3. South Korea is LG’s home market and it’s the first market that will get it news flagship. The company notes that it plans to roll out the device on over 170 carriers worldwide but that individual release dates will be announced locally and at the time of availability.

In other words, LG isn’t going to make hundreds of individual announcements. Instead, consumers are going to want to keep their eyes peeled for announcements from individual carriers.

LG G3 U.S. Release Date

Unsurprising, the LG G3 will be making its way across the ocean to the United States. The U.S. is one of the biggest smartphone markets in the world and it’s not shocking to see LG replace the popular LG G2 with its brand new flagship.

LG confirmed plans to bring it to four major U.S. carriers including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon though it’s not clear if the nation’s fifth largest carrier, U.S. Cellular, will offer the device. U.S. Cellular did not release the LG G2 so there is a very good chance that it took a pass on the follow up.

Here is everything we know about the LG G3 release date in the United States.

AT&T

AT&T confirmed the LG G3 for arrival but the carrier only offered vague details about its release. The carrier noted that the device would be coming later on this year. LG, on the other hand, was more specific. It says that the device will be coming to AT&T sometime this summer without noting a specific date. Summer begins in late June so it could be that AT&T customers will have to wait a few weeks for the device to arrive.

In the meantime, AT&T has put up an LG G3 sign up page that allows users to put in their email to get up-to-date information about the LG G3 directly from the carrier. The sign up page doesn’t reveal the device’s price point, expected to be in and around $199.99 on-contract, just like the Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5s.

Sprint

Sprint was a little more specific in its announcement. Like AT&T, Sprint confirmed the LG G3 for arrival and it says that it will be releasing the device sometime this summer. Like AT&T, it also released a sign up page and Sprint’s sign up page alludes to a LG G3 release sometime in July of this year.

The carrier’s sign up page boldly proclaims that the device will be made available in July. This could be a placeholder but given the summer proclamation, it could be that we don’t see it touch down until in the middle of the year. The sign up page doesn’t reveal any other details but it does enter consumers into a contest to win one of 20 free LG G3’s.

Sprint says that it will be exclusive carrier of the gold LG G3. It’s not clear if this will be a permanent exclusive or if it will be a timed exclusive though consumers will want to prepare as of its the former.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile also announced the LG G3 today and like the others, released a sign up page. The sign up page suggests that the device will be available this summer though it does not go into any further detail.

Those who sign up through T-Mobile enter into a contest where the winner will get to spend some time with the LG G3 ahead of its official release.

Pre-register now for the LG G3 Open Beta Sweepstakes for a chance to win an advance-release Beta model. Use it and tell us what you think. LG is giving away one LG G3 Beta model every day through Sunday, June 29, 2014.

This appears to be a great way to give the LG G3 a test run before its released for T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network down the road. The carrier says that it will alert consumers when a pre-order is available which means that we could see the carrier offer a way to order ahead of its official release date.

Verizon

Verizon XLTE is a faster version of 4G LTE that delivers better connectivity in congested areas and faster downloads and uploads for Verizon users with 27 recent devices including the iPhone 5s, Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 and many others.

It doesn’t appear to have a sign up page ready for the LG G3 just yet though we expect it to offer one to its customers at some point down the road. Its website sports a placeholder for the page.

Where to Buy the LG G3

According to LG, Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile specialty stores will be carrying the LG G3 at some point this summer. We expect Best Buy to get the device in and around the same time as U.S. carriers. We also imagine that retailers like Amazon will also join the party though that remains unconfirmed at this point.

Carriers will likely make the device available both online and in their physical retail locations giving consumers a number of ways to buy the LG G3 when it arrives this summer.

Upcoming Competition

Finally, we want to outline all of the upcoming big name smartphones and their release dates. These release dates are unconfirmed but it appears that the LG G3 has some significant competition on the way.

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LG is touting their redesigned user interface which includes a simpler font, consistently designed icons based on a circular motif, and “mature color schemes” that give each app a representitive color and avoid overly bright colors.